


La Vie en Rose

by MissNMikaelson



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Bonding, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-08-07 05:15:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16401992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissNMikaelson/pseuds/MissNMikaelson
Summary: She just wanted to reclaim her life and get away from his brother.He just wanted to read his book and avoid his brother's temper tantrum.Strange how Klaus succeeded in drawing them together; that was something he had never wanted. In fact it threw a wrench in his plans.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own TVD or TO
> 
> Inspiration struck me tonight, so I had to get this first chapter out. The title just kind of felt right, but it might change later.
> 
> I'm taking some of the elements I used in DWTH in terms of the bond, but it's formed in a different way in this story.
> 
> I'll add more characters as I write them in.

"Hey!"

Elena jumped a foot in the air when the small hand landed on her shoulder. She shoved the textbooks in her locker and turned around to glare at Bonnie. Her brows knit together when her friend showed no sign of chagrin for scaring her out of her skin.

"How set are you on attending Calculus?" Bonnie lifted her brows hopefully.

A slow grin lifted the corners of Elena's lips. They hadn't cut class together since freshman year when Caroline had lifted a bottle of liquor that her mom had confiscated from a group of underage kids over the weekend. The trio had snuck out of the school and walked into the cemetery where they had proceeded to drink half of the bottle. They hadn't known how potent the green alcohol was; Caroline wound up with a twisted ankle.

Somehow Elena didn't think they were running off to drink their cares away, but maybe some time with her friend would take her mind off her troubles.

Turning around she grabbed everything she would need that night for homework snatched up her keys and slammed the metal door shut.

They didn't say another word until Elena parked her car outside the path that led to the falls where Caroline was already waiting for them.

* * *

_So much for taking my mind off my troubles,_ Elena held her knees and stared out at the rushing water fall. Her mind was whirling with the information Bonnie had just delivered.

"Explain it one more time," Elena unfolded her legs and turned to Bonnie in time with Caroline who seemed to be in as much disbelief as she was.

Bonnie took a deep breath a nodded. She reached into her bag this time and pulled out her grimoire.

"I found a spell that will help you," she opened to the relevant page.

Elena stared at the spirals and various other symbols that made absolutely no sense to her, but she nodded all the same for Bonnie to continue.

"The spell uses the full moon to bind you to another person," Bonnie pushed her hair behind her ears; "once you're bound to them you share their most powerful traits."

"And you want to bind me to someone?" Elena cocked an eyebrow.

"Mmhmm," Bonnie nodded. "I want to bind you to Caroline. That way you gain the invincibility that comes from her vampirism without actually having to turn yourself."

Elena pressed her lips together and thought it over. She had never wanted to be a vampire, but the lifestyle did come with a few benefits: rapid healing and enhanced speed and strength.

"I'd still be human?" She met Bonnie's glittering eyes.

"This wouldn't have any weird side effects for me would it?" Caroline pointed from the spell to herself. If this was a way to keep Elena safe and healthy she'd gladly help. "It won't weaken me at all?"

"It shouldn't," Bonnie shook her head. "It'll mean you're connected to each other for as long as Elena lives, but that's it." She left out the bits she hadn't translated yet; they were just the notes around the margins of the page. She was fairly certain they were doodles anyway.

Elena bit her bottom lip and considered. There didn't seem to be any down side to it. Worst case scenario nothing happened and she remained the supernatural pawn she already was. If Bonnie had suggested binding her to Damon or Stefan she would most certainly have objected; there was no way she wanted to spend the rest of her life tied to her ex-boyfriend or his brother. It would have only invited Damon into thinking he had a chance with her; which would open up the whole debate that had led to her breakup in the first place. She didn't want to get caught between them again, and that was exactly what they had done to her.

"I'm in."

* * *

He had one arm bent behind his head and the other supporting the book on his stomach. His eyes ran from left to right again and again as he took in the words of Jane Austen. A trumpet rendition of La Vie en Rose played in his ears via the headphones.

He rolled his eyes heavenward when the song was interrupted by his ringtone. It was the annoying one he had set to signifying Nik was calling him.

In that moment he wished he was human so he could have ignored the call and claimed to not have heard the tone, but unfortunately that excuse didn't work with his advanced senses. Besides if he didn't answer Nik would just call again.

With an exasperated sigh he marked his page and clicked the button that would answer the phone.

"Hello," he bent his knee and stared at the ceiling.

_"I need you to do something for me."_

"Oh I'm just swell," he rolled his eyes, "and how are you this lovely full moon."

_"I don't have the time for pleasantries. I've just gotten word that the Bennet witch is up to something involving my doppelganger. I need you to go and put a stop to her spell by any means necessary."_

"You know," he sighed wistfully, "when Elijah wants something done he always says please, and afterwards I get a cookie," he smirked at the ceiling.

_"I'll make this very simple. You can do this for me, or I can put you back in the box."_

"Fine," he sat up with a low growl. "Where are they?"

_"According to my sources, they are somewhere near the falls. Whatever spell she's using requires the full moon. Stop the spell and make sure no harm comes to my doppelganger."_

"I'm pretty sure she's got a name," Kol stood and strode to the closet. He hung up and pulled on his jacket before tucking the phone in his pocket. His playlist had restarted with the ended call.

* * *

"So I just have to stand here?" Elena raised her brows in disbelief. She had been certain blood would be involved somehow; wasn't it always involved?

"That's it," Bonnie drew the salt line around Elena's body before repeating the process around Caroline.

She drew out all of the required symbols between the circles as a bridge that the magic would flow across. She moved several paces away from them into her own protective circle. Her eyes drifted shut as she began chanting.

A line appeared between Caroline's brows. She could hear something else over Bonnie's voice. She tilted her head when she recognized the sound as bubbly jazz. The moment she recognized it was the moment she was forcibly thrown from the circle and into the water.

Elena shrieked when Caroline vanished from her line of sight and was replaced by a tall young man who looked vaguely familiar. The clouds shifted overhead sending a beam of moonlight over his features: Kol Mikaelson.

"Hello, darling," he flashed a charming smile and tucked his headphones safely in his pocket. Nik had said keep the girl safe, but the direction had never been required for him; he'd never had any desire to hurt Elena Gilbert. The thought had always made his stomach turn.

He didn't want to hurt her little witch friend either, but he did need to stop whatever spell she was cooking up. He was lifting his foot to go towards the witch when he found himself stuck in the circle.

Bonnie continued chanting. She was so consumed with the spell that she hadn't heard or seen anything after entering her own circle.

"Oh bloody hell," Kol's eyes widened when the drawn symbols glowed and lifted from the damp grass. "Oi, witchy," he attempted to get her attention.

The lights blurred before he could get a good look at the symbols. He grunted, more from shock than anything else, when the bridge of light hit him in the chest.

Elena's breath caught as the other end collided with her skin directly over her heart. She lifted her gaze from the magic and met Kol's dark eyes; the crackling light illuminated his piercing gaze. There was something there that she wanted to see better; it was as if he were looking directly into her soul. Her feet moved of their own accord.

His heart thumped. He found himself able to move again, but the thought to go the witch was the farthest thing from his mind. He had quite forgotten the witch's presence in the clearing. He had eyes only the young woman in front of him. Nothing was more important than going to her.

Something intense percolated in the air between them. It grew stronger when they stood directly in front of each other and the lights went out.

He lifted his hand to her smooth cheek and felt her pulse quicken in her neck.

She tilted her head back to blink up at him and brought her hand up to cover his pounding heart which she could hear. Her eyes were tracing his clear features in the moonlight. She needed him closer. She had to feel the sharp stubble along his jaw.

She was just trailing her hand up the smooth material of his shirt when Bonnie snapped out of it and Caroline stepped from the water dripping wet.

Caroline flashed forward and broke Kol's neck; she suspected his distraction was the only reason she got away with it.

Elena bit down her outraged shriek. Fury exploded in her brain and she saw nothing but red.

Caroline's eyes grew round when Elena turned on her. She grunted in pain as the brunette's fist made contact.

"Elena," Caroline held her cheek, "what the hell?"

Elena didn't answer; her eyes had clouded over. She lunged forwards and knocked Caroline to the ground where they rolled in the grass for a moment.

Caroline was hesitant to lay a blow for fear of hurting her friend who was clearly going through some sort of psychotic episode; she assumed it was a result of the spell. Maybe she got some of that Mikaelson madness.

"I could use some help here, Bon," Caroline twisted her hips and flipped them over.

Elena squirmed and kicked when she was pinned beneath the blonde and her hands were held over her head. Somewhere in the back of her mind she recognized Caroline's worried eyes, but all she could think about was that this was the woman who had hurt him. Gritting her teeth she brought her head up sharply and broke Caroline's nose.

Caroline fell back, momentarily stunned as the bones healed. She blinked at the fading bruise on Elena's brow.

Bonnie flipped through her grimoire quickly for anything that would help in this situation; she'd deal with what had caused it later. She released a triumphant whoop when she found what she was looked for and raised her hand in Elena's direction.

Elena rolled Caroline onto her back and drew her fist back with the intention of attacking her again. Before she could bring her hand down her vision blurred around the edges. She swayed on her knees before crashing to the ground sound asleep.

Caroline listened to Elena's resting heart before sitting up and turning to Bonnie with raised brows.

"Don't look at me," she shook her head. "Can you carry her to the car? We should probably get out of her before he wakes up."

* * *

When Kol came to he found himself in an empty clearing. His head snapped around quickly looking for her. Her soft scent had all but faded when he climbed to his feet.

He was overcome with a strong need to find her and make sure she was safe.

* * *

Elena woke in her bedroom an hour later. Sitting up she stared in horror at her reflection in the mirror as the memory resurfaced.

She hadn't stopped to think about it; everything had been instinctual. She had attacked one of her best friends, and why? Because she had broken the neck of an Original vampire that had been in her personal space?

While she was on that topic: why had she been so comfortable with Kol in her personal space? Why had she been alright with it? Why had she wanted him to act on the desire she had seen so clearly in his eyes and pull her flush against his body?

What had Bonnie done to her? What had she done to them?

She didn't know much about Kol. She knew he was the youngest brother and that over the centuries he had gained a reputation as the wildest Mikaelson, but she had never seen it. The few interactions she'd had with him had been polite. She'd found him charming, attractive, and genial, but she supposed anyone would appear that way next to Klaus. She had never gotten the impression that he wanted to hurt her as she did with Rebekah; heck even Elijah had given her that feeling from time to time, but never Kol.

Her musings were interrupted by a gentle tapping on her window. Her eyes narrowed. She stood from the bed and made her way to the seat and threw open the window.

"Hi," her smile was warm. Why was her smile warm?

"Alright, darling?" He braced his hands on either side of the window frame. His eyes raked slowly over her body searching for any sign of injury.

"Fine," Elena perched on the window seat. She took a moment to look him over and bit her lip.  _Okay… he's cute… hot… that might answer at least one of my questions._ "I'm not the one who had my neck broken though. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, love," he chuckled at the concern in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" She reached out and touched the side of his neck. Warm energy flowed up her arm on contact.

"Perfectly fine," he caught her wrist and brought her palm to his lips. Once he laid the first kiss he couldn't seem to stop.

Elena's breath caught as his lips left a burning trail up her inner arm. Desire raced through her body and pulsed in her abdomen. Her eyes fluttered and closed. They only opened again when she was pressed to lie down on the window seat and his lips nipped at the smooth column of her throat.

Her hands had slipped under his jacket and beneath his shirt to splay across his back. Her eyes flickered from the open window to where he was hovering over her in the bedroom.

Had she invited him in? Had Jeremy invited him in? She couldn't recall either event occurring. The only Original with an invitation to the house was Elijah.

"How did you get in?" She hummed when he sucked on her pulse point and arousal gathered in her panties. Should she have been able to smell it so clearly? She didn't know, but she did know that his aftershave was intoxicating.

Kol managed to tear his mouth from her throat. The lust that had clouded his senses lifted when he saw the open window. His eyes narrowed as he sat back and blinked at the space he had occupied only a short time before.

Elena sat up straight. Her leg draped over his thighs when she did.

"Through the window," he murmured. It was hard to think with her delectable scent filling the room, but he was fairly certain he'd never been invited in. "What…"

He trailed off when he met her lidded mahogany eyes. His gaze darted to her lips once before he cupped her cheek and pulled her closer. Her cool breath fanned over his chin making him pause for a moment. He met her eyes and was about to close the distance when a pounding heart drew their attention to the door.

Elena gasped when he vanished through her open window and the cool air chilled her flushed skin.

"Who were you talking to?" Caroline stayed in the door and looked around suspiciously.

"Uh…" Elena blinked a couple of times to clear the last of the lust, "myself?"

"Right…" Caroline drew out the word. "If I come in are you going to attack me again?"

Elena tilted her head and considered carefully. She had no desire to strike the blonde.

"I think you're good," she crossed her legs when Caroline came in. If she could smell herself than Caroline would be able to as well. "I'm sorry about what happened, Care. I'm not sure what came over me."

"Yeah, well," Caroline took a seat on the window ledge, "Bonnie's looking into that right now. As far as she can tell you acted on instinct and that you would have done the same if it had been me on the other end of that spell." Her nose wrinkled slightly when she caught the lingering smell of cinnamon.

"Did the spell…"

"It worked… we think," Caroline lifted Elena's wrist. "One way to find out."

Elena nodded once and swallowed down the surge of guilt that rushed up her throat. Why would she feel guilty about letting Caroline bite her?

Outside Kol supressed his growl when he heard the crunch of her skin being punctured by sharp teeth. It took every ounce of self-control he had to not flash out from behind the tree and lunge at Caroline Forbes. Every muscle tensed when he smelt her rich blood; his eyes grew round when the flow stopped completely a moment later.

Elena watched her skin knit itself back together before raising her eyes to Caroline.

"It worked," Caroline licked the blood from her lips. "Bonnie's going to try and find a way to undo it though. The last thing you need is to be bound to an Original. The whole point of this was to get you out from under Klaus' thumb."

Elena shivered. The thought of undoing what had been done felt wrong; almost as wrong as letting Caroline bite her.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Caroline closed and latched her window. "You look exhausted."

"Hey!"

"In a pretty way," Caroline smirked.

"Much better," Elena laughed. The longer Kol was out of her sight the clearer her thoughts became, and the more she wanted him at her side again.

She made a vow then and there not to open her window again. She prayed he would take that as a sign that she needed to be alone and wouldn't open it on his own. She didn't think she'd have the strength to turn him away; she didn't think she'd want to, but allowing an Original into her bed was a bad idea.

It was a bad idea, right?

* * *

Kol stood in the shadows beneath her window for a few minutes to ensure she was safe. He might have stood there all night if it hadn't been for the Bennet witch and Caroline leaving.

He flashed away before they could see him.

He made sure to lock the doors of his balcony and bedroom before finally lying down.

He placed his headphones in his ears and attempted to return to his novel. Reading however proved impossible, as all he could see was her dark eyes.

He clenched his hands into tight fists and answered the phone when Nik called him back.

_"Well?"_

"She's perfectly fine," every fiber of his being was screaming at him to run and make sure his words were true. "She's sleeping peacefully in her own bed as we speak."

_"Good. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."_

* * *

_She spun in slow circles causing her full skirt to twirl around her legs and glitter in the flickering candle light, but it was nothing compared to the sparkle in her laughing eyes when he pulled her into his arms._

_One of his hands was on her hip and the other was steering her across the empty dancefloor._

_"You look ravishing, darling," he smiled down into her eyes._

_"You clean up pretty well yourself," she teased. Her hand slid from his shoulder to the back of his neck. She glanced upwards to the stars that twinkled high above between the hanging lights that were strung across the open air courtyard. Music lifted from the antique gramophone. "Where are we?"_

_"New Orleans," he drew her closer as the music continued to play._

_"La Vie en Rose?" She nodded to the rising notes._

_"Yes," he smirked. "Do you like jazz, darling?"_

_"I love it," she nodded. "I always get strange looks when I tell anyone that."_

_"Outrageous," he gasped. "Never let anyone tell you what kind of music to listen to."_

_"You like music?" She arched a brow when he dipped her._

_"I love it," he hovered over her and placed a gentle kiss to her cheek. "That's one of the best things about the twenty-first century." He chuckled when she gave him a puzzled look. "Music, darling; anytime you like."_

* * *

Elena's eyes snapped open when her alarm sounded. The annoying buzz had interrupted the final strains of Petite Fleur.

It had completely ruined the mood and torn her from one of the strangest and most enjoyable dreams she had ever had. She could still see the stone courtyard in her mind's eye and hear the gentle trickle of the fountain. The dream had felt so real; if she'd had any artistic talent she might have been able to draw the courtyard from memory.

* * *

The incessant buzz of an alarm had roused him from a pleasant dream, but when he opened his eyes he could no longer hear the infernal contraption.

Still he checked his phone for any missed calls. He had fallen asleep with the jazz playlist still on; the final strains of Petite Fleur were coming to a close when he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood to take a shower. He could still hear her tinkling laugh and see her dancing in his mind's eye.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own TVD or TO.

"What's up with you today?" Bonnie closed her locker and held her books to her chest. "You're not experiencing any weird side effects right?"

"No," Elena closed her own locker and rolled her neck back and around. "I'm just really tired."

"Up all night worrying about the spell?" Bonnie whispered on the way into Ric's history class.

"Sure," Elena murmured. She slid into her seat and attempted to focus on the blackboard.

Kol had been on her mind since he'd left her bedroom the night before, but she hadn't been thinking about the spell. She had thought about the way his lips had drawn fire up her arm, how his weight had hovered over her deliciously, and the disappointment she had felt when he'd vanished before he could kiss her.

It had taken her a few hours to fall asleep at which point she had dreamt of him. He was a phenomenal dancer in her mind, and incredibly sweet. That was the subconscious for you though.

If she were being honest with herself she would have said that the itty-bitty crush she had developed the first time she saw him had come back in full swing after he had tried to stop the spell the night before.

Liking him was a bad idea wasn't it? He was one of the oldest vampires in history that would kill her without a second thought, right?

She couldn't help but think he was different from his siblings though. They wouldn't have hesitated to kill Caroline, well maybe Klaus would have – he did have that weird fascination with her friend, or Bonnie. Kol had merely thrown Caroline from the circle, and he hadn't even thrown her somewhere she would be hurt; he'd tossed her in the water.

She shook herself from her thoughts of the attractive Original and stifled her yawn.

Her hand turned the page that was set down on her desk so she could read the assignment that accompanied the documentary they were going to watch; that was usually what happened when there was a substitute teacher in.

She couldn't stifle the second yawn when the lights were turned off and the Cold War documentary began. She was cursing the narrator's monotonous voice and lamenting her decision to quit drinking coffee when she rested her chin on her crossed arms.

The next thing she knew Bonnie was shaking her awake and telling her it was time for lunch.

"Maybe we should take you home," Caroline frowned at the dark circles under her friend's eyes when she stepped out into the hall. "You don't look so hot."

"Really? I feel like a million bucks," Elena smirked. Her feet dragged over the floor though as nausea made her stomach turn violently. "Maybe home wouldn't be such a bad idea," she stumbled and dropped her books.

"Mmhmm," Caroline nodded. She reached out and took Elena's elbow so she could steer her outside to the car.

* * *

Elena used her forearm to cover her eyes and block out the bright afternoon light streaming through her windows. She squinted when Bonnie came in and perched on the edge of the bed.

"As long as were not in school," she placed the grimoire on the mattress and opened to the marked pages, "I thought we could work on undoing what happened last night."

"I don't know Bon," Elena groaned and sat up against the headboard. The thought that undoing what had been done was wrong raced through her mind again, and she couldn't understand it for the life of her. Something inside was just telling her it was a bad idea. "Don't you need both of us for that?"

"I don't think so," Bonnie shook her head and pointed to the page, "physical proximity is only needed for the binding aspect. Unbinding you should be really simple."

"And what does the book say about unbinding two people," Elena crossed her arms and sighed. The edges of the room were blurred in her vision.

"Only that it shouldn't be attempted if the spell wasn't completed," Bonnie pointed to the passage in question, "but the spell was finished so it's not a big deal."

"It's not as if we can leave you tied to Kol for the rest of your life," Caroline sat at Elena's feet and crossed her legs like a pretzel. "He's a Mikaelson Elena."

_Kol's not that bad._  Elena looked between her friends. She chewed her bottom lip.

"What's going to happen?" Caroline turned to Bonnie when Elena made no objections to removing the binding.

"It's supposed to be a gentle pulling sensation and then they're unbound," Bonnie quickly memorized the incantation. Her eyes narrowed at the harsh pen strokes beneath the reversal before shaking off the feeling and turning to Elena. "Ready?"

"Would saying 'no' deter you?" Elena cocked an eyebrow. If she'd had the strength in her legs she might have stood up and run from the room.

"Nope," Bonnie flashed a quick smile. "The sooner this is undone the better you'll feel." She scooted forward and placed her hands on either side of Elena's head. She started chanting the Latin incantation under her breath.

Elena's eyes narrowed as a burning pain tore through her skull. It felt as if her arms had been grabbed and the people holding them were pulling with all of their might; they were supernatural too because it felt as if she were being torn apart. A bloodcurdling scream echoed in the room.

* * *

Kol held his head in his hands and screamed in utter agony. Every molecule in his body felt as if it had been doused in alcohol and lit on fire. It was as if he were being torn down the middle.

_Stop it Bonnie! You're hurting her!_

Just as soon as it had started it stopped. He was gasping for breath on the ballroom floor when Klaus slammed the front door.

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" The hybrid knelt and took in his brother's abnormally pale appearance. The blood had completely drained from his face.

"Witch," Kol managed to sit up and ran a hand back through his short hair. He had gotten the briefest glimpse of Bonnie Bennet and Caroline Forbes in her bedroom.

"Are you alright?" Klaus rocked back on his heels when Kol pushed up onto his feet and swayed before finding his balance.

"Fine," he nodded. Striding into the living room he retrieved his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. He was certain he had one of the Gilbert's numbers in his phone book.

"Speaking of witches," Klaus leaned in the doorway, "what was the Bennett one doing with my doppelganger last night?"

"She has a name," Kol clenched his jaw and just managed to hold in his growl. He didn't like the way his brother referred to her like she was just a copy or something for him to possess; she was so much more than that.

"Just answer the question," Klaus paced across the room and poured himself a drink.

"I can't," Kol looked up from his phone. He couldn't find the number. "I don't know what Miss Bennett was trying to do." He really wished he did; it might explain why he had been feeling lethargic all day. The exhaustion made no sense whatsoever since he had slept for at least six or seven hours.

"She's turning into a real pain in the ass," Klaus leaned against the fireplace and tapped the mantle.

"You say that about all the witches," Kol pulled on his jacket.

"Not her," Klaus scowled. "The doppelganger. I'm beginning to believe she has outlived her usefulness."

Kol froze with one arm in his jacket.

"Is she not the only one who can give you hybrids?" Kol slowly slid his other arm into the sleeve.

"For now," Klaus ran his finger around the edge of his glass, "but doppelgangers are mystically recurring."

"She's the last in her family," Kol gritted his teeth.

"For now," Klaus reached into his jacket pocket and unfolded a few sheets of paper, "that can easily be remedied."

Kol tensed. Every muscle coiled tightly as his half-brother revealed his most recent diabolical plans.

"I'll have to see to it that she's impregnated first," Klaus' eyes scanned the papers in his hand, "then after she's had the child I'll take what blood I can to last until the next doppelganger comes along; this time I'll be keeping a clo…"

Kol exhaled slowly and stared down at his brother's unconscious body and the odd angle his neck was bent at.

"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" Rebekah crossed her arms and watched Kol snatch up the fallen papers. "Tell me he at least deserved that?"

"He did," Kol tucked the papers into his jacket. "If you'll excuse me sister."

* * *

"Stop it, Bonnie," Caroline grabbed her friend's arms and pushed her away from the panting brunette, "you're hurting her!"

Bonnie wiped a trail of blood from her nose and gasped when she saw the state Elena was in.

She had collapsed back against the pillows and was panting for breath. The blood had completely drained from her face that was now covered in a thin layer of sweat.

Bonnie covered her mouth with her hand and blinked back a tear at the sight of what she had done to her friend.

"Elena," Bonnie reached out and felt her heart clench when Elena recoiled. "I'm so sorry. It wasn't supposed to do that." She reached for her grimoire and started flipping through the pages. "I'll fix it…"

"No," Elena swallowed thickly. She shook her head and hugged a pillow to her stomach. "No more magic, Bonnie."

"But…"

"No," Elena voice was firmer the second time. "If undoing it means I have to go through what you just tried to put me through I'd rather spend eternity bound to him." It wasn't an unappealing thought.

"I'll find a way to fix this, Elena," Bonnie stood up from the bed and gathered the leather bound volume to her chest.

"How about you just let me rest instead?" Elena curled into the fetal position over her pillow.

Bonnie agreed quietly and took her leave of the house.

Caroline pressed her hand to Elena's warm brow.

"You don't have to stay, Care," Elena blinked up at the blonde.

"I know," Caroline frowned. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No," Elena closed her eyes and turned her head away from the window. "Maybe you could get me some aspirin," she peeked up at her friend, "my head is killing me."

"Sure thing," Caroline nodded.

Elena reached for her phone on the nightstand. She squinted at the screen and adjusted the volume before starting the calming jazz playlist. Her eyes drifted closed to the dulcet tones of Doris Day.

"You're like a little old lady," Caroline teased when she stepped back into the bedroom. She shook her head fondly and set the glass of water and tablets on the nightstand. "Sweet dreams 'Lena," she pushed her friend's hair back from her sweaty forehead.

Caroline was reaching for the doorknob when she heard the telltale sound of a window being opened. She didn't think anything of it at first until she took note of Elena's sleeping heartbeat and the unmistakable sound of footsteps in her room.

* * *

He blinked in surprise when he was able to slide through her window with ease. The barrier that should have kept him outside seemed to have taken an extended vacation; he was very grateful for that at the moment. He highly doubted she would have woken and let him in before Klaus regained consciousness.

His heart clenched painfully when he saw her pale appearance. He pressed the back of his hand to her warm brow; the skin seemed to cool under his hand.

The weariness he had felt since waking receded in her proximity. He didn't have time to be tired right then.

His head snapped around when he heard footsteps in the hall. In a rush of air he vanished into her attached bathroom without making a sound.

* * *

Caroline frowned when she pushed open the bedroom door. There was no sign of anyone else in the room, but the barest trace of cinnamon clung to the air. She looked around the room quickly before checking in the closest.

"I must be hearing things," Caroline murmured to the empty bathroom. She assumed Jeremy had changed his body wash because the smell seemed to be stronger in the bathroom.

"Not quite."

Caroline jumped and covered her heart with her hand. Her eyes were wide when she spun around and found Kol a few feet behind her.

He pressed his hand to her mouth when she looked as if she were about to scream and looked over his shoulder pointedly.

"How'd you get in here?" Caroline looked over his shoulder to Elena. "They've both got enough sense not to invite an Original into the house."

"Does it really matter which Gilbert let me in?" Kol cocked an eyebrow. "The point is I'm here, and I could use your help."

"Are you going to compel me?" Caroline tilted her head and squinted up at him. She hadn't been drinking vervain and had left the charm bracelet that held a sprig of it encased in a sealed charm at home.

"Possibly," his eyes flashed angrily as his brother's words echoed in his mind, "but I think you'll consent to being compelled, Miss Forbes."

"Why would I agree to that?" Caroline crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Because I heard you're voice," he searched her defiant eyes, "and I get the feeling you'll do whatever it takes to protect your friend," he listened to Elena's sleeping heartbeat and jazz playlist, "even if it means forgetting everything I'm about to tell you."

* * *

Twenty minutes later Caroline locked the front door of the Gilbert house and made a mental note to come back and check on her friend later that night.

The curtains fluttered in the open window when she drove off.

* * *

He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders when she shivered. He was careful not to touch her skin, but even with his careful movements his fingers still grazed her jaw.

The contact sent an electric shock up his arm and made her heart skip a beat. He quickly pulled back and took a firm hold of the steering wheel.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to keep going and add more to this chapter but if I had kept going I think it would have gotten close to 6000 words because I would have jumped to Klaus and then back to Kol and Elena and Caroline and Bonnie. I really could have kept going, but this seemed like a good spot to stop things.
> 
> I'll say that the spell is only half completed though. It's in two parts the first is done by a witch and the rest is up to the involved parties.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own TVD or TO

Bonnie stomped up the porch steps of the Gilbert house. She jumped and gasped when Caroline flashed in front of her and blocked her path.

“She said no more magic Bonnie,” she held the door frame and shook her head.

“That was hours ago,” Bonnie crossed her arms. “She’s had nearly seven hours to rest, and I’m not going to use magic; I’m just going to talk to her. I want to find out what’s happened.”

Caroline sighed and followed Bonnie into the house when Jeremy answered the door.

“Hey, Jer,” Bonnie adjusted the bag on her shoulder, “is Elena still in her room.”

A line appeared between Jeremy’s brows. He looked between Caroline and Bonnie quickly.

“Elena’s not here,” he frowned, “I haven’t seen her since this morning.” He watched Bonnie dart up the stairs and turned to the blonde. “What’s going on? I thought she was out with you two somewhere.”

“We brought her home around noon,” Caroline shook her head. Her best friend was missing yet she couldn’t bring herself to feel concerned over the fact. “Maybe she went out somewhere.”

“As long as she’s not taken it in her head to get back with Stefan I’m happy…” Jeremy trailed off when Bonnie appeared at the top of the stairs.

The young witch was abnormally pale. Her shoulders shook slightly as she looked down at them in the foyer.

“Her duffle bag is gone,” Bonnie bit her bottom lip. She held up a white envelope addressed to Caroline. “This was on her pillow.”

The paper was pressed into Caroline’s palm. Jeremy squinted at the slanting letters that were completely unfamiliar.

“That’s not Elena’s handwriting.”

* * *

 

Elijah placed his suitcase on the floor outside the sitting room. He had been on his way upstairs when the sight of a sprawled body caught his eyes. While it was not uncommon to find unconscious, or even dead, bodies at Rebekah’s feet the image of his half-brother sprawled across the floor was certainly out of place.

“Rebekah,” he cleared his throat and tipped his head down to examine the twist in Klaus’ neck, “what happened here?”

“Kol broke his neck,” she didn’t bother looking up from her magazine, “around noon.”

“And he’s still unconscious?” Elijah cocked an eyebrow and checked his watch.

“He then texted me,” Rebekah flipped a glossy page, “and asked that I keep our charming brother asleep for a while.” She hummed at a red ball gown before shaking her head. “I’ve been snapping his neck before he could heal since then.”

He could feel a tension headache coming on; the good thing about being a vampire was that it would be short lived, but it was still an unpleasant feeling.

“Why have you been doing this?” Elijah sighed. It was the obvious question; the elephant in the room. “And where is Kol?”

“I’ve been breaking his neck because it’s fun,” Rebekah finally closed her magazine, “not because Kol asked me to, and I have no idea where our wild brother has run off to; though he assured me that Nik deserved this,” she pointed to their unconscious brother.

“Oh I’ve no doubt,” Elijah stepped over Klaus and poured a glass of bourbon. “Will you be breaking his neck again?” He dropped a few cubes of ice into the drink.

Rebekah tilted her head to where she could hear the bones snapping back into place.

“No,” she tossed her glossy ponytail over her shoulder. “It’s getting a little old.”

Klaus sat up with a gasp. Jumping to his feet he looked around the sitting room and reached into his pocket. His brows knit together when he found nothing.

“Where is he?” He seethed.

“If you’re referring to Kol,” Elijah sipped his drink, “I’ve no idea. Would you mind explaining why he attacked you? What have you done to provoke him this time?”

“Nothing,” Klaus growled. “I’ve done nothing to him. One minute I’m talking about my plans for the doppelganger…”

“Elena,” Elijah interjected.

“Bitch,” Rebekah crossed her arms.

“… Regardless,” Klaus glared at his siblings. “My doppelganger… my plans… I’m discussing them one moment and the next my neck is being broken.”

“He said you deserved it,” Rebekah shrugged.

“I don’t believe I did,” Klaus grumbled. He spun on his heel and stormed out of the sitting room.

“Where are you going?” Elijah lowered his glass onto the table.

“After my doppelganger,” Klaus called back over his shoulder before flashing away.

“Where are you going?” Rebekah frowned when Elijah stood and started from the house.

“To ensure he does nothing foolish.”

* * *

 

She frowned at the letter in her hands. The memory resurfaced the more she read.

_Caroline,_

_I sincerely hope by now enough time has passed that I’ve put some distance between Elena and my brother, as well as anyone else who would have stopped me._

_She or I will contact you soon with more information._

_Kol_

It came rushing back to her. Kol had shown up in Elena’s room after Klaus had revealed his intentions to kill Elena after she’d had a child.

She wasn’t sure why Kol had felt the need to get involved and help her friend and she had gotten the sense that Kol himself hadn’t understood everything.

“Caroline,” Jeremy leaned against the bannister, “where’s my sister?”

“She’s…”

“I’d like an answer to that question as well, love.”

Caroline spun on her heel to find Klaus standing on the porch. His hands were braced on either side of the door as he glared at the trio inside the house.

“Where is she?” Klaus leaned back and crossed his arms. He could hear every heart in the house; only the three humans were inside.

“Caroline?” Bonnie glared at Klaus.

“I don’t know,” Caroline folded the slip of paper.

“Then where is Kol?” Elijah came up behind his brother. “That’s his handwriting.”

“That’s Kol’s handwriting?” Jeremy turned to look at Caroline.

“Yes,” Caroline nodded, “she’s with Kol, but I don’t know where they are. He didn’t tell me where he was taking her.”

“But he told you he was taking her?” Elijah cocked a heavy brow.

“Mmhmm,” Caroline nodded. She felt reasonably safe in the confines of the Gilbert house where only Elijah held an invitation. “He took her to keep her safe from Klaus.”

“I wasn’t going to hurt her,” Klaus grumbled.

“Not immediately,” Caroline rolled her eyes. She scoffed when Klaus’ eyes grew round. “Yeah… he told me.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Bonnie’s mouth popped open in disbelief.

“He compelled me to forget,” Caroline shrugged, “until I read the note he left behind. I don’t know where he took her though.”

“Why the hell would he care?” Jeremy scrutinized Caroline’s features. Something wasn’t adding up.

“I don’t know,” she shook her head. “Maybe it’s because of Bonnie’s spell.”

“I thought that spell didn’t happen,” Klaus’ spine straightened.

“What spell?” Elijah stepped over the threshold.

Bonnie adjusted her bag on her shoulder. The heavy weight of the grimoire pressed into her skin.

“It was a binding spell,” she inhaled slowly, “and it didn’t go quite to plan.”

“That’s an understatement,” Caroline rolled her eyes. “Kol showed up in the middle and got caught in the spell. It was supposed to be me, but he pushed me out of the way and somehow wound up taking my place.”

“I tried to undo it,” Bonnie interjected.

“And nearly broke Elena apart,” Caroline crossed her arms.

“When was this?” Klaus stepped up to the threshold.

“Around noon sometime,” Bonnie tilted her head and thought back. “Why?”

“That’s around the same time I found Kol sprawled out on the ballroom floor,” Klaus glared at Bonnie, “he said you had done something to him; this was moments before he broke my neck.”

“Huh,” Jeremy nodded slowly, “I’m starting to like him more and more.”

“This threshold will only protect you for so long,” Klaus turned his stare on Jeremy.

“Niklaus,” Elijah snapped. He turned his attention to Bonnie and held out his hand. “May I see this spell Miss Bennet? I would like to know what you’ve done to my brother and Elena.”

Bonnie reached into her bag and pulled out the leather bound book. Opening to the marked pages she explained how undoing it was supposed to have been simple because the spell had finished.

“I highly doubt that,” Elijah shook his head. “You may have completed part of the spell Miss Bennett but the rest was up to them.” His eyes scanned the narrow handwriting around the margins of the page. “Your spell would not have worked with Miss Forbes.”

“What spell is it?”

Elijah turned and held out the grimoire so his brother could read the inscriptions. It was almost satisfying seeing the blood drain from Klaus’ face. He had never liked the plans his half-brother held for Elena and now those plans would never come to fruition.

“It’s just a binding spell,” Bonnie looked between the Originals. Klaus looked like he was ready to slaughter the whole town while his brother was struggling to control himself; she could definitely see amusement in Elijah’s dark eyes. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s not funny,” Klaus snapped. “There is nothing amusing about this situation whatsoever.”

Klaus threw the white chair by the door out onto the lawn. The wood splintered and broke into several smaller pieces.

“I’d been meaning to get rid of that chair anyway,” Jeremy rolled his eyes. “What’s going on?” He turned his attention back to Elijah. “What did Bonnie do to them?”

“She linked them,” Elijah inhaled, “partially, by solidifying a bond that was already there. It can’t be undone until completed, and it rarely ever is.”

“Completed?” Jeremy cocked an eyebrow.

“Undone,” Elijah clarified. “This spell binds together two souls and is typically performed on witches so that they may share in each other’s power. Miss Bennett,” he closed the grimoire and placed it back in her hands, “you’ve essentially aided and abetted a marriage.”

* * *

 

She shifted and snuggled further into the warm material that smelled faintly of cinnamon. A line appeared between her brows. Something was digging into her right shoulder. Her hand lifted to probe the thick ribbon that ran diagonally from her shoulder to her left hip.

It was a seatbelt. She jerked awake violently causing the brown jacket to pool around her waist.

She was half-expecting Damon. He was the last person to kidnap her and drive off into the ‘sunset’, so she was pleasantly surprised when it was not the elder Salvatore in the driver’s seat.

“Kol?” She swallowed, cleared her throat and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Hello, darling,” he flashed a quick smile. “Are you feeling better? You were running a fever when I got to your house,” concern flashed in his eyes.

“I feel fine,” she pushed her hair back from her face and shivered. Without thinking she lifted his jacket to cover her torso again.

“That’s good,” relief flooded him causing his shoulders to relax. He’d been worried about her health since leaving Mystic Falls, but he hadn’t wanted to wake her; she had looked so peaceful sleeping beside him.

“Mmhmm,” she licked her lips. “Hey… Kol?”

“Yes darling,” he took a right turn and adjusted his speed.

“Where are we?” She shifted when her stomach rumbled.

“Georgia,” he scanned the road and turned into a parking lot. The lights along the building illuminated the gravel. He saw a couple of people disappearing around into the dark space around back.

“Why are you pulling over?” Elena ran her fingers through her hair and winced. A knot had formed towards the bottom of her long locks; she set to work untangling it and watched him through her lashes.

“A few reasons,” he unfastened his seatbelt and twisted around to reach into the back seat, “for one you’re hungry; I can hear your stomach growling.”

“Well that’s mortifying,” she blushed. She should have known he could hear it though because she could. She could hear her stomach and a steady thumping; it took her a moment to realize it was coming from his chest.

Elena blinked in surprise when he passed her a small blue bag. It was the one she used whenever she went away somewhere for an extended period of time. Glancing into the back of the car she spotted her duffel bag, and book bag.

“The other reasons,” Elena prompted. She unzipped the toiletry bag and pulled out a travel size brush. Perhaps she should have been afraid, but she couldn’t bring herself to fear the Original. “Where are you taking me? I’m pretty sure the final destination is not a diner in Georgia.”

“You’d be correct,” his eyes tracked the progress of the brush through her hair. He almost reached out to gently untangle the knot that he could tell was pulling on her scalp, but he refrained for fear of touching her skin. The last time he had barely been able to pull away; only his confusion and the arrival of Caroline had sent him back through the window.

“We are roughly half-way to where I was taking you,” he inhaled the sweet smell of her shampoo. He’d been breathing it in for hours, but now that he had stopped driving and turned his full attention to her he found the scent when combined with her blood intoxicating; it made him dizzy with desire. He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened from someone’s scent alone.

“I’ve pulled over because I believe you’ll tell me I’ve overreacted,” he exhaled slowly and leaned across the consul.

“Overreacted to what?” Elena dropped the brush back into the bag. Her arm rested on the consul an inch from his; she could feel the heat radiating from his body to hers and shivered. Sitting down he was still a few inches taller than her so she looked up at him through her thick lashes.

“I almost don’t want to tell you,” he searched her curious gaze. “It’s not pretty, Elena.”

A chill ran down her spine when he said her name. Every soft syllable in his rich accent was thrilling; almost more exciting than when he called her darling.

“I think I can handle it,” she smirked. “I’d like to know why you’ve kidnapped me.”

“I prefer to think of it as emancipation of sorts,” he chuckled.

“You took me from my home without my consent,” Elena arched an eyebrow. “I call that kidnapping.”

“Would you like me to take you home?” Kol’s fingers tapped the space beside her hand. His pinky grazed her smooth skin and an electric current raced up his arm.

“I think I’d prefer to hear what you have to say first,” she bit down on her lip.

The action drew his eyes to her mouth.

“My dear brother has decided that you’ve outlived your usefulness,” he reached into his jacket pocket; his eyes never left hers.

Elena’s heart skipped a beat when his knuckles grazed her stomach over the thin material of her shirt. Her flesh tingled and quivered.

“How could I have outlived my usefulness?” Elena’s eyes darted to the sheets of paper and back to him. “He kind of needs me alive…”

Kol pressed the papers into her hand and her chest tightened. She quickly scanned the files from a fertility clinic. Her hand lifted to cover her throat where her heart was thudding wildly.

“He wanted to kill you after,” he shut down the car and toyed with the keys in his hand. “He was going to take as much blood as he could and then kill you, or maybe in the process of taking blood…” He shook his head and sighed. “I didn’t stick around for the particulars.”

“You got me out of town,” Elena refolded the sheets and set them on the dash.

“I did,” Kol nodded. “I made a snap decision, ran to your house and put you in my car. Now tell me, darling: did I overreact? Do you want me to take you home? I could have you back in time for your first class.”

“To the psychotic hybrid who want to impregnate and later kill me?” Her brows shot up in disbelief. “Are you crazy?”

“I’ve been called worse over the centuries,” he laughed. “Am I to take that as a no?”

“Yeah,” she nodded once, “it’s a no. Where were you taking me?”

“New Orleans,” Kol opened the door. He was around to the other side opening her door before she could reach for the handle. “There is a strong witch presence in the city; I thought one might be able to explain what your friend did.”

“It was a binding spell,” Elena followed him inside. The interior of the diner was well lit compared to the outside that had looked like something straight out of a horror movie. “It was supposed to bind me to Caroline and make me more…” she tilted her head and searched for the right word, “… durable.”

Elena sat down when he pulled out a chair.

“I don’t suppose you remember any of the spell,” he sat across from her, “that might help.”

“I think so,” she had been starting to lean across the table but straightened when an older waitress appeared at her side. She read the woman’s name tag: Effie.

“Evening, y’all,” she smiled down at them, “have you had a chance to look at the menu yet?”

“Not yet,” Elena picked up the cream coloured booklet, “but a bacon cheeseburger sounds delicious.”

“Anything to drink, dear?” Effie tilted her head.

“Iced tea?” Elena closed the menu and put it aside.

“Sure thing,” Effie grinned and turned to Kol, “and you, love?”

“I’ll have the same,” he smirked, “and perhaps a pen if you would be so kind, Effie.”

“Coming up,” Effie turned away.

“I never took you for the burger type,” Elena crossed her arms on the table.

“I’ve never tried one,” he smirked and mirrored her motion so there was half a foot of space between their faces, “but food helps curb what I’m truly craving.”

“You haven’t fed?” Elena frowned and looked over his face for signs of ill-health. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, darling,” he chuckled. “I’m over a thousand years old, Elena. I can go longer than the average vampire. I’ll be perfectly fine until we reach New Orleans.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you afraid I’m going to bite you, love?” He cocked a heavy brow.

“No,” she shook her head, “I just don’t want you getting sick.”

“I’ll be fine,” he smiled softly. “Don’t worry about me, darling. I should be worrying about you. Would you care to tell me what Bonnie was doing to you around noon?”

“How do you know she was doing anything?” Elena blinked a few times.

“Because I felt it,” he decided to risk physical contact. Taking her hand in his he lifted her arm and flattened her palm over his heart. “Here,” he nodded. “A terrible ripping, burning feeling; like I was being torn apart.”

“She tried to undo the spell,” Elena’s hand tingled under his palm, “she said it wasn’t supposed to hurt, and I was too tired at the time to even attempt to argue; I could barely keep my eyes open.”

Kol shifted and moved her hand from his chest. He wrapped her cold fingers between both of his hands and glanced up when Effie returned with their drinks and a pen.

“Here you are, dears,” Effie caught the way Kol gently rubbed Elena’s knuckles. “Such a sweet young couple,” she murmured on her way back to the kitchen.

A small amount of colour flooded her cheeks at the comment.

“What’s the pen for?” Elena held in her sigh when he released her hand and reached for the pen and paper the waitress had dropped off.

“I thought we could try and figure out what Bonnie did, exactly I mean,” he clarified.

“How are you going to do that?” Elena tiled her head.

“Drawing out what you can remember will help,” Kol passed her the pen. “I didn’t get a clear look, but I’m assuming you did,” he smiled when she nodded and took the pen. “If you can draw it I might be able to figure out what’s been done.”

“You know how magic works?” Elena started sketching the symbols she could remember.

“I was a witch, darling,” his smile didn’t reach his eyes, “before.”

“I’m sorry,” she lowered the pen and met his eyes. “That couldn’t have been an easy transition.” She had watched Bonnie’s mom struggle with the sudden cut off from nature.

“It wasn’t,” he blinked when she took his hand and squeezed gently.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own TVD or TO.
> 
> I'm sorry for the delay. I've been really busy with work, and then they remade a game that I loved when I was a kid, so obviously I bought it and spent two days playing it.

Jeremy lifted his eyes from the coffee table and Caroline's silent cell phone. He had been sitting in silence with the blonde vampire and his ex-girlfriend since the Originals had left; Elijah had finished explaining the spell before ushering his brother off the property.

He still couldn't believe it.

"It was supposed to be Caroline?" He looked between the girls.

Bonnie nodded slowly.

"You were going to marry my sister to Caroline?" He jerked his head towards the blonde.

"Are you saying I'm not good enough for your sister?" Caroline lifted her chin. "Elena Gilbert could do a lot worse than me."

"Apparently she did…" Bonnie hung her head and raked her hands through her hair.

"Kol broke his own brother's neck to keep her safe," Caroline sat forward. She felt a strong desire to defend the Original.

"I can't believe you're defending him," Bonnie threw up her hands. "He's an Original Caroline."

"We know nothing about him…"

"They say he's madder than Klaus!"

"You can't believe everything you hear," Caroline's eyes flashed. "He didn't have to do anything, but he did. He could have just killed me and taken her away; nothing was stopping him."

"The barrier should have," Bonnie pointed towards the front door. Her head snapped around to Jeremy. "Did you invite him in?"

He shook his head and watched the escalating argument; he only looked away when the door opened to admit Alaric.

"How do we know she's not already dead?" Bonnie crossed her arms.

"Because I believe him," Caroline met her friend's eyes. "He wanted to help her. He wanted to keep her safe. You heard what Elijah said," she reached down and lifted the grimoire from the floor, "the spell only works when cast on soulmates. Kol's not going to hurt Elena."

"Did I hear that right?" Alaric lowered his bag. "Elena and Kol? What happened to Stefan?"

Caroline turned to look at Alaric who had frozen at the door to the living room. She could see the confusion plainly on his face.

"Elena and Stefan broke up weeks ago," she tucked her hair behind her ears. "You must be really out of the loop."

* * *

Flames of anger shot through him; they had been licking at his insides since he had read the spell. At the moment he decided the best outlet was his older brother.

"Will you stop laughing?" Klaus lifted a crystal vase and threw it.

Elijah ducked out of the way. He couldn't stop his chortling.

Rebekah chose that moment to investigate the shattering glass. Her eyes darted from her seething brother to her laughing one.

"What's so funny?" She addressed Elijah assuming that he would be the more reasonable of the two at the moment.

Elijah took a deep breath and swallowed down his mirth.

"Kol has gotten married," he struggled to hold in his laugh, "in a soul binding spell performed by Miss Bennett."

"And why is Nik so upset about it?" Rebekah looked sideways at her half-brother.

"The identity of the bride," Elijah chuckled. "Miss Bennett used a spell to strengthen the bonds between soulmates."

Rebekah nodded slowly; still not quite sure what the issue was. Shouldn't Klaus be happy their brother had found his soulmate?

In a rare moment of self-reflection Klaus paused; a line appeared between his brows.

"I shouldn't have sent him out there," he frowned. "If I'd left things alone the spell wouldn't have worked, and I'd have been free to do whatever I wanted with her."

"I highly doubt that," Elijah rolled his eyes. "This would have been revealed eventually; Miss Bennett's spell merely escalated matters. You know how soulmates work Niklaus; Kol would have stepped in immediately if he ever saw you physically harming her."

"It's Kol," Klaus scoffed, "he would have run off before anything ever happened, or are you forgetting the years he spent away from us: four hundred years on his own?"

"I have not forgotten."

Elijah doubted Kol would have left with her in town; he would have been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. It would have begun the moment they first locked eyes: an instant connection that would only build with time.

"Are either of you going to tell me who his soulmate is?" Rebekah resisted her urge to snap.

"Elena Gilbert," Elijah pressed his lips together to temper his smirk. Unlike Klaus, who had grown abnormally pale, Rebekah's face turned red.

"That back stabbing doppelbitch?" Her voice reached a decibel that only dogs, and Original vampires, could hear.

"Careful, sister," Elijah cocked an amused eyebrow, "that's Kol's soulmate you're talking about." He passed his cell phone to Rebekah so she could view the spell he had taken pictures of.

"You're taking far too much pleasure in this," Klaus glared at his older brother.

"How do you know it's not some sort of trick?" Rebekah examined the images.

"Because it worked," Elijah stated simply. "Elena had the strength to fight back against Caroline when she broke Kol's neck, and she is healing at an exponential rate; Miss Forbes tested it last night."

"And then there's the fact that the bond was unsealed when the Bennett witch tried to reverse it," Klaus grumbled. "Kol was a panting mess in the ballroom."

Rebekah handed the phone back to Elijah and crossed her arms. If it was true she would have to find a way to look past her differences with the doppelganger because she would not lose her brother. Soulmates were special, rare, and something to be cherished. Usually vampires didn't find theirs until after their mate had transitioned, and the only way to know for sure was to share blood.

What did it mean that Kol had found his while she was still human? How was their bond going to affect the rest of his life?

Elena Gilbert had never shown the slightest interest in being a vampire; would she change her mind now that she knew, or would Kol have to watch her grow old and die? He wouldn't change her against her will.

"Do  _they_  know about this?" She tilted her head and frowned.

"Unless Elena was able to tell Kol everything about the spell, including the incantations, then no," Elijah shook his head, "they do not know. I'm certain Miss Forbes will tell them when they call."

* * *

"So Caroline knows that you took me?" Elena refastened her seatbelt.

"Assuming she's found the note," Kol started the car. "I left it in plain sight so she would see it when she came back to check in on you. I told her one of us would call when we were far enough away."

"We are far enough away now," he reached into his pocket and passed her his cell phone before steering them out onto the highway.

"Knowing Caroline she's probably going to let me sleep through the night," Elena turned the mobile over in her hands, "which means she has no idea I'm gone yet."

She sighed and set the device down in one of the cup-holders.

"You're not going to call," he glanced at her before returning his attention to the road.

"From what I understand you already told her everything," Elena pushed her hair behind her ears, "it'll be easier to wait and call her in the morning after she remembers what happened."

"What about your brother?"

"He'll just assume I'm sleeping at Care's," Elena shrugged.

"Alright," he nodded. "It's another six hours to New Orleans; did you want to get some more sleep?"

"Honestly?" Elena laughed. "I'm not really that tired. I slept for what… seven hours?"

"Something like that," Kol chuckled.

"I think I'm good to stay awake," she smiled, "unless you're trying to say you're tired of me and would rather I were quiet…"

"Never," he caught her hand and rubbed small circles over her knuckles. "I could never get tired of you, Elena." Heat spread through him and brought his body to attention.

"Okay," her voice was little more than a breath. The air that had been cool up until that point began to warm as her flesh tingled and her heart thumped. She knew he had to be able to hear it; she could hear it. She could hear the rapid pounding of her heart and his.

_Why is his heart running a mile a minute?_  Elena swallowed. She suspected the only thing keeping her from reaching out to feel the sharp stubble along his jaw and pressing her lips to his was the console between them and the speed at which they were moving down the freeway.

She blinked and focused on the clock. She needed to think of something else, anything else. She knew that removing her hand from his would be the fastest way to get her swirling emotions under control, but she was loath to do it. His touch, while it excited her and thrilled her, was also calming; there was something comforting and familiar in the way he held her hand.

"Are you alright, darling?"

Heat curled down her spine; his accent was positively sinful.

"I'm fine," she cleared her throat. Her mind scrambled for anything to latch on to. "You never said anything about the spell," her thumb swiped absentmindedly along the back of his hand.

"I didn't, did I?" He chuckled suddenly; he was grateful for the distraction. He had been about three minutes away from pulling over to the side of the road, yanking her into his lap, and kissing her senseless.

"I think I got all of the symbols right," she watched the road; it was easier than tracing the angular plains of his face.

"You did, love," he squeezed her hand, "the problem is it was a standard binding spell. Nothing in what you drew explains how we were connected, or why trying to undo it caused so much pain."

"What does that mean?" She turned her head. Her breath caught when he turned at the same time and met her gaze.

He felt a connection when he looked in her eyes; something far deeper than the physical attraction he felt every time he touched her.

He couldn't maintain the eye contact for long before he had to refocus on the road.

"I think I know," he adjusted his speed when they hit a construction zone. Suddenly he was nervous to explain himself. "I have a theory anyway, but I'm not sure. A witch would be able to tell us more."

"What is it?" Elena heard his heart thud.

"The reason for our… for the connection," he swallowed. The gentle motion of her thumb was unknotting his stomach. "It's not in any of the symbols that were used; that means it's in the incantation, and I can't know for sure without seeing or hearing it."

"I heard it," Elena bit her lip, "but I don't actually speak Latin, so…"

"You heard it?" He turned to look at her again.

"The start of it," she nodded, "but then, once the light came up, all I could hear was my own heart… or maybe it was yours. I'm not sure; I can hear things I really shouldn't be able to now."

"And you heal," he tensed when he remembered her blood and the blonde that had tasted it.

"How did you know that?"

"I was outside your window," he murmured, "when Caroline bit you. It took everything I had not to run in and…"

"You would have…" Elena leaned back towards her window and blinked slowly.

"No," he shook his head, "she's your best friend. The only thing that kept me outside was knowing that, and that she was only testing the spell."

"Then why are you angry?" Elena frowned.

"I'm not…"

"You are," she cut in. Elena could feel indignation in his tense muscles.

Kol took a deep breath, inhaled the tantalizing mixture of her shampoo and the sweet ambrosia that was her blood, and forced himself to relax. He didn't know how to tell her that he was not angry, but that he had been jealous of Caroline who had tasted her blood. She would think he was a possessive monster. Elena wasn't his; she had never been his.

So why did she feel like his? Why did he feel like he belonged to her?

He suspected he knew the answer, but what did it mean that she was human? What had her friend done to them?

He wouldn't know until he spoke to a witch, or heard the spell.

"Kol?" Elena tilted her head and pursed her lips.

"I wasn't angry," he reiterated. "It was just… just that seeing another vampire biting you…"

Elena's eyes grew round. It almost sounded like he had been jealous. Why would he be jealous? Why had she felt guilty? Why had she felt like she was being unfaithful?

Why had she attacked Caroline when the blonde had hurt him?

"After the spell…" Elena switched topics. "After the spell when Caroline broke your neck…"

"I'd owe her a thank you for that," he chuckled, "but she saved us both later so I'll let it go."

"How sweet of you," Elena rolled her eyes. "After she did it though… I… I attacked her. Everything… everything went red and I just… I lunged. Next thing I knew I was waking up in my room and you were at the window."

For a brief moment his muscles froze and the car began to slow before he regained control.

"Why were you at my window?" Elena exhaled slowly.

"I had to make sure you were safe." There was no hesitation in his response. Everything seemed to be about keeping her safe now: safe, happy, and healthy.

He had heard of vampires experiencing a sudden shift in priorities, but it was rare; almost unheard of. And it had never occurred with a human being.

"What's your theory, Kol?" Elena's fingers toyed with his daylight ring.

"I don't think you'll believe me," he frowned, "you'll think I'm crazy."

"I've yet to think that," she shook her head. "Try me."

"Well," he squeezed her hand and moved into the turning lane, "like I said earlier I would need to hear the incantation to know for sure, but I think… I think the spell would not have worked if I hadn't been there."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a spell that witches use," he sighed, "to join together two souls that were always meant to be joined. The idea is that they will use this bond to share in each other's abilities and strengthen their coven."

"Always meant to be joined?" Elena tilted her head. "As in…"

"Soulmates," he finished her thought. Kol had been half expecting her to reclaim her hand, and perhaps use it to slap him, but she didn't; she remained where she was. "It would explain a few things. Mates are very protective of each other, Elena. It might explain why you attacked your friend, and why I broke my own brother's neck."

"Let's be honest, Kol," she smirked, "it's Klaus. He's probably had that coming for a few centuries."

"You're not wrong," he smiled. "Nik has a very twisted sense of familial love."

"Is that the nice way of saying he sticks you in a box whenever you do something he doesn't like?"

"Essentially," he nodded.

Elena pressed her tongue to the back of her teeth and looked out through the windshield. Kol was driving quickly, leaving other vehicles behind him; at the rate they were going they would make New Orleans early.

"Soulmates, huh?" She tested the word on her tongue. Would that explain the instant connection she felt with him? It was more than just physical. She had felt something inside of her calling out to him when they spoke at the diner.

"Witches use a spell to find theirs," Elena nodded, "how do vampires tell?"

"What makes you think there is a way?" He counted the erratic beats of her heart.

"Because you're not meeting my eyes," she murmured.

"You're too insightful for your own good," he shook his head with a small smile. He wasn't sure if it was her determined attitude, or if the rumors about not being able to lie to a soulmate were true, but either way he told her.

"Vampires typically don't find their soulmates until after they've been turned," he tapped the steering wheel, "because the only way to tell, without the aid of magic, is to blood share."

"Okay," Elena nodded. She was reluctant to take back her hand, but she did. Pushing up her sleeve she held up her wrist.

"What are you doing, darling?" He caught her hand again and lowered it.

"You said the only way to tell was to…"

"I'm not going to bite you Elena," his voice was firm. "I won't risk hurting you."

"I don't think you could," she smirked, "or have you forgotten how I healed after Caroline bit me." She couldn't explain how she felt like this was right.

"No, I have not forgotten," he held her wrist in his grasp as his canines descended, "but I'm still not going to bite you; especially not in a moving vehicle."

"Why not?" She held in her disappointed sigh.

His response and the look in his eyes made her feel dizzy as desire radiated between them.

"Because, darling," his eyes darkened when he met her gaze. "Once my lips touch your skin I don't think I'll be able to stop until I've tasted every last inch of you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't even touch on what I wanted to get to in this chapter. This was supposed to be the arrival in New Orleans, but I thought I'd pop into the car for a little bit so we could all see what's happening.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own TVD or TO.
> 
> There are so many ways I could have taken this story, but every one would have turned it into an EPIC (which is what I call anything over 30 chapters) and I've got so many stories on the go, so I'm going to end this with six chapters (meaning one more left) the way I intended to all along while cutting out the drama that was happening at the beginning of the Originals.

Elena leaned forward in her seat and peered out through the windows. Her eager eyes took in everything that was happening on the street, and they had arrived in the midst of some sort of festival so there was no shortage of things for her to look at: people in flamboyant costumes, couples dancing, artists painting; the list went on, and over everything she could hear the competing sounds of music.

"Have you ever been to New Orleans, darling?" Kol steered the car through the crowded street. The city had changed since he had last been there; not the architecture and general layout, but the people. He assumed it had more to do with the shifting times though; New Orleans had always been full of life and colour.

"No," Elena shook her head. "What's going on?"

"I believe it's the music festival," he took a turn out of the main street.

Elena pushed her hair behind her ears and blinked as the raucous party seemed to disappear behind them. The overlapping music was soon replaced with a heavy seductive bass. Her eyes immediately sought out the pulsating rhythm; it was coming from an older building half a block ahead of them.

Light flickered in the windows illuminating the faces of the individuals spilling out from the doors.

Forty-eight hours before she wouldn't have been able to read the placard in the darkness, but now she could easily make out the bold letters on the sign: The Abattoir.

Kol's foot eased on the accelerator. His eyes had been drawn to the crumbling façade of one of the oldest buildings in the city; it was a building he had never thought he would see again.

"Kol?" Elena tore her eyes from the scene and what was clearly a rager in progress. "You okay?"

He blinked away the image of the house in all its glory and turned to look at her with a nod.

"Do you know this place?" Her eyes darted back to the building as they crawled past; for a moment her gaze locked with a tall man whose skin was the colour of warm chocolate. She saw his eyes narrow at the vehicle.

"It was my home once," Kol turned back to the street and sped up again, "a long time ago. I thought it had burned with the rest of the city."

"Clearly not," Elena murmured. "Did you know that guy?"

"What guy?" He glanced at her when he pulled into a driveway several blocks away.

"The one who was staring at the car," Elena tilted her head, "it looked like he recognized you." The way his eyes had narrowed had suggested he didn't like him.

"I'm afraid I didn't see him," Kol came around the side of the car and opened her door, "but it is possible. New Orleans is a mecca for the supernatural."

* * *

"She hasn't called yet," Jeremy rubbed a hand across his jaw. It was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open.

"Not yet," Caroline checked the time.

* * *

Klaus stared into the bottom of his glass. The amber liquid swirled and twisted like the thoughts in his mind.

What was he meant to do now? For a thousand years he had been set on one goal and one goal alone: breaking his curse and creating an army of hybrids. He had forsaken everything else in his pursuit.

He had killed her once. He had been poised to do it again, but now he couldn't. There were certain lines even he couldn't cross.

Daggering his siblings and sticking them in boxes for decades on end was one thing; it was temporary and could be stopped at any time, but harming a soulmate. Something like that tore at the soul; it ripped a person apart. One was never the same after losing their mate.

Harming Elena now, assuming he could even do it, would break his brother. He couldn't break his brother. He couldn't knowingly cause an eternity of suffering that would never end.

* * *

Rebekah trailed her fingers through the fragrant bubbles of her bath. Her body was in the twenty-first century but her mind was lost in the recesses of history.

How often had she and Kol fought? She'd lost track of their squabbles over the centuries, but through it all he had always been on her side even when she was in the wrong.

She had feared he would hold a grudge after waking up as it was her fault he had been subjected to the dagger in the first place. If she had not told Klaus of his plans he would have remained awake; he might have even found a way to put their hybrid brother in his place, but she had turned on him.

He was still on her side.

She didn't know how they were going to move forward from here, but she did know she wouldn't harm a hair on Elena's head.

Rebekah might have enjoyed tormenting and torturing her brother, but she couldn't be responsible for breaking his soul.

* * *

Elijah taped the top of his desk and waited for the photographs to load. He had contemplated sending the images in a text message, but even as a vampire he had struggled to read everything on the tiny screen.

He nodded when the images loaded and he could make out the smallest of print; the phone had blurred the images, but he could easily read them on the computer.

With a few clicks he sent them off and crossed his fingers in the hopes that Kol had not altered the settings on his phone. The sooner he got the message the sooner he would return with Elena.

There was no reason to hide her away.

* * *

Elena dried the worst of the water from her hair, hung the towel on the rod and stepped out into the hall. Her feet seemed to know what way to go.

Her path through the house was slow. Her fingertips grazed the smooth banister as her eyes traced the stained glass windows. Through the coloured glass she couldn't see it, but she knew the entire house was blue: The Blue Lady. It had been in his possession since 1906; a haven free from his brothers.

"Does every house in New Orleans have a name?" She leaned in the door of the study and tilted her head.

"Only the old ones," Kol chuckled. He laid his phone face down on the desk and stood.

"Anything interesting?" She straightened as he approached and met his eyes.

"There's something far more interesting in front of me," his fingers came up to ghost over her cheek.

"More interesting then whatever was on your phone?" Her eyes widened. "You seemed pretty interested in that."

She bit her lip; there was less than a millimetre of space between his hand and her skin, and she wanted it to lessen.

"Elijah sent me some pictures," his knuckles grazed her jaw, "they're still loading."

"Must be a big file," Elena brought her hand up to his cheek.

"It'll be a while," he threaded his fingers into her damp hair, "so I have a little time to kill, and there is one thing I've wanted to do for a while now."

"Since the spell?" Elena's thumb traced his jaw.

"No," his eyes flickered to her lips, "since the moment I first saw you. The spell only intensified it."

"Oh?" She inhaled slowly. Elena had the strange sense it was the last deep breath she would take for a while.

"Yes," his hand slid through her hair to hold the side of her neck.

The air caught in her throat as he dipped down to hover over her mouth. His warm breath fanned over her lips and made her spine tingle.

He hesitated for a moment to give her time to push him away before finally brushing her lips with his slowly.

Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and heard the pleased hum when her nails raked through his short hair.

Kol cradled the back of her head. His free hand slid down her spine and pulled her closer.

The breath flew from her lungs; she found herself very grateful for the arm around her waist because the moment his tongue slipped between her lips her knees turned to water.

She couldn't recall ever being so undone by a kiss. She nipped at his lower lip before breaking contact and dragging in a ragged breath.

Elena shivered. His lips were working along her jaw leaving wet kisses and fire in their wake. She held the back of his neck when he moved down to her throat.

"What…" she stifled a moan; his stubble scraped deliciously against her soft skin. "What are you… oh…"

He smirked against her skin and nipped at her fluttering pulse point. He simply adored the way her heart jumped and her breath caught as he sucked on her neck leaving behind a dark spot.

"Do you want me to stop?" He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. He ran his tongue along his teeth. Her pounding heart lifted the sweet smell of her blood and made his gums ache.

"When did you hear me say that?" Her eyes sparkled with amusement. He chuckled and moved forward to kiss her again. His eyes narrowed when she pressed her fingers to his lips.

"Did you want to check on that?" Elena took a couple of breaths as her eyes darted back to the desk.

"Not particularly," he slid his hands down to hold her hips, "it can wait a bit."

"Sure?"

"Positive."

Elena's eyes narrowed suspiciously when he smirked. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that made her heart pound wildly with anticipation.

"As I said, darling," his hands slid down her sides to the back of her thighs, "there is something far more interesting in front of me." He lifted her with ease and grinned when she wrapped her legs around his waist. "I also said I wanted to taste every inch of you."

"I was wondering when you'd get around to that," she gasped as his lips returned to their earlier task.

Elena seemed to lose her perception of space for the next few moments as he attacked her throat with soft licks and gentle kisses. His mouth traveled the smooth column and nipped at her ear. He was tugging on the lobe when the air rushed around her and her back was pressed into the smooth wood of a wall.

She peered through lidded eyes and giggled.

"Presumptuous of you," she moaned as his fingers stole under her camisole.

"I thought you might prefer this to the desk," he leaned back and pulled her top over her head. "Did you forget something, love?"

"Nope," her hands slid around his body and down his back, "I was getting ready for bed." She dragged her lips from the shell of his ear across his jaw to his mouth.

His eyes drifted shut. Her fingers had dipped under his shirt to tease his back in time with the gentle swipes of her tongue along his bottom lip.

Elena arched into him when his hands slid up and cupped her bare breasts; his thumbs tweaked her nipples.

Heat, which had been present since she woke in his car, pooled low in her abdomen as an ache settled between her thighs. She ground down against his growing erection in an attempt to sooth the burn.

"You're going to be the death of me," Kol panted. He reluctantly let go so she could pull his t-shirt over his head.

"I hope not," she brushed her lips over his and giggled when he swung them around. The next thing she knew he was lowering her onto the king size bed. Her eyes raked over his torso slowly as she drank in every inch of exposed skin.

She would have been lying if she said she didn't enjoy the way his heated gaze lingered on her body, but she wanted to feel more than his eyes on her skin.

Elena propped herself up on her elbow and caught the back of his neck with her right hand.

She kissed him slowly and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth as his hands returned to her body. Elena knew he had to be able to smell her arousal because she could smell it plain as day; just as she could feel the hard bulge in his jeans where he was pressed against her center.

She tipped her head back when he started along her jaw again to give him better access to her throat and closed her eyes. She had a feeling he knew exactly what his words in the car had done to her; luckily he was living up to the promise in his eyes.

Her voice turned to breathy moans as he licked and nipped his way towards her chest. She looked down through lidded eyes as his tongue teased the hardened bud that was her left nipple before he closed his mouth and sucked the sensitive skin; the action sent a jolt to her abdomen and increased the ache at the apex of her thighs. Her desire only grew in intensity by the time he had switched breasts and moved along down her torso.

She was a panting mess when his tongue dipped into her naval, and she was fairly certain his mouth had traversed the entirety of her upper body. Everywhere he touched set her on fire.

Kol paused at the waist of her pajama bottoms and met her lidded eyes as his fingers hooked around the band. He was partially giving her a chance to stop him and partially willing his bloodlust away; the desire to bite her was quickly taking over his body. The need to taste the sweet ambrosia that flowed through her veins was all encompassing.

Elena lifted her hips to aid him and shivered as her legs were exposed to the cool air of his bedroom.

He threw her bottoms across the room and sat back on his knees to admire the beauty before him. If every doppelganger was physically identical he could see why his brothers were enamoured with the others; Elena Gilbert was mouth-wateringly gorgeous. Perhaps that had more to do with her eyes and the blatant desire on display there.

"You're staring at me," she felt the first strains of a flush working up her neck.

"Because you're beautiful," he met her eyes. His hand caught hers where it came up to cup his cheek.

"I bet you say that to all the naked girls in your bed," she drew her bottom lip between her teeth when he pressed a kiss to her palm.

She wasn't wrong, he had said such things before, but looking at her now he didn't have to force any conviction into his tone.

"None were as beautiful as you."

Elena shifted up onto her knees and cupped his cheeks. Her warm breath fanned across his chin. "Good answer."

"A true answer," he murmured against her lips.

Elena lost herself in the sweet kiss and for a moment forgot that she was practically naked and that the only thing hiding her from his gaze was her blue lace underwear.

"Now," he left a peck on her lips and pulled back to meet her eyes, "I believe I said I was going to taste every inch of your skin."

Elena's fingers slipped down his defined abdomen, the muscles quivered beneath her touch, and hooked around his belt.

"I've got a few conditions before that can happen." She suppressed her smirk as he tilted his head. The confused light in his eyes was beyond adorable.

Elena leaned forward as she was talking and laid a heated assault on his neck. Her words came out between wet kisses.

"First…" she sucked on his collarbone and heard his heart stutter, "…you…," her teeth nipped his throat, "… are wearing…" she teased the shell of his ear, "… too…" her fingers unfastened his belt, "… many…" the belt hit the floor with a thump, "… clothes."

She nipped at his jaw and brushed her lips over his mouth before meeting his eyes; the pupils were completely blown making them appear almost black in the dim light of the room.

"Take them off," she popped the button on his jeans to emphasize her point.

He was only too happy to oblige. He stepped back, toed off his shoes and slipped out of his jeans. He saw her eyes darken when he was left in his boxer briefs.

"What's that saying humans use?" He sauntered back towards the bed and allowed his eyes to roam her slim body. "Oh yes," his fingers teased the band of her panties, "now we're even."

Elena's shoulders shook with a soft laugh when he pushed her back onto the pillows and shifted to hover over her.

"Was there anything else I had to do first?" He tilted his head and met her eyes.

Elena wrapped her thigh around his hips and held him to her body while searching his dark gaze. Anyone else might have been afraid of the ancient being hovering over them, but fear was the farthest thing from her mind; she was absurdly comfortable and if not for the persistent ache between her legs she might have held him like that all night.

"You said you wouldn't bite me," she saw his eyes widen. "Did you just mean in the car?"

"Elena…" he swallowed his groan as she exposed her neck. He didn't want to hurt her; he had often refrained from feeding on his human lovers for that very reason. He typically refrained from feeding on any lover.

"I heal, Kol," she cupped his cheek and gently traced the dark vein beneath his eye. She didn't know if he was aware his features were showing or not, but they were. "You can't hurt me, and I can it in your eyes." She slowly guided him down to her neck. "You want to."

He did want to; more than anything he wanted to sink his teeth into her carotid artery and taste that which he had been craving since his lips had first touched her skin.

He gently kissed the fluttering vein and nipped her olive skin; just hard enough to make her moan.

"Are you sure about this?"

Elena nodded and felt his stubble scrap her cheek. She loved that feeling.

"Blood sharing…" Kol leaned back a bit to meet her eyes, "… it requires blood from both. You would have to…"

Elena's eyes widened in realization as he trailed off; it was hardly new to her: tasting a vampire's blood, but this would be the first time where it wasn't required. She nodded when he asked her again.

Kol leaned back a bit and lifted his hand. With a quick movement he pierced his thumb and watched the blood well up.

Elena's lips parted when he pressed his bleeding thumb to her mouth. She met his eyes and sucked the digit into her mouth.

"Definitely going to be the death of me," he groaned when her tongue swirled around him.

Elena smirked and released his thumb with a wet popping sound. As far as blood went his wasn't so bad, but maybe that had more to do with the quantity and actually being willing to drink it. She had never experienced the warmth that was sliding through her throat and spreading from her chest to her limbs. If anything his blood had increased her desire for him; usually she wanted to get as far away as she could from a vampire that had fed her his blood, but there was something different about this. It was like his blood carried his emotions, and she knew what emotion she was reading, but that couldn't possibly be it; it was far too soon for that.

Kol saw the emotions flickering in her eyes as she tipped her head back again to expose her neck. He bent and teased the area until he felt the tension coiling in her body; when she was a panting mess again he finally allowed his teeth to puncture the skin.

Elena moaned. Her entire being felt like it was molding to him as he drew mouthfuls of her blood. The connection that she had felt since the clearing intensified and grew until she wasn't sure where he ended and she began.

Deep in his body he felt the bond beginning to seal in place; in the back of his mind he knew what spell had been used on them, but all of his focus was on her.

He watched through lidded eyes as the bite mark slowly healed until all that was left was a bruise that would be gone in no time at all.

"Yes?" Elena didn't need him to give a verbal answer when she looked into his eyes, but he still did.

"Yes," he breathed slowly before dipping down and meeting her lips in a kiss that was both gentle and passionate at the same time.


	6. Chapter 6

Rebekah’s fingers drummed against her thigh as she stared out through the window at the crowds adorning the streets. She had sworn she would never come back to this city, but a little convincing from her big brother had brought her around.

They couldn’t very well have Kol hiding away from them forever, and it had become clear he was not about to answer the phone for any of them. He would have assumed Elijah was working with Klaus, and he knew Klaus and she each held murderous designs for Elena… or at least they did.

* * *

 

_“Where would he take her?” Elijah crossed his arms and leaned in her bedroom door. “You know, or at the very least have a good idea.”_

_“I’m not about to tell him that,” her eyes darted to Klaus, “Kol would never forgive me if I got her killed.”_

_“I’m not going to kill her,” Klaus grumbled._

_“You were itching to end her life not twenty-four hours ago,” Rebekah threw her book down. The volume made a hollow thud when it hit the fluffy comforter._

_“As were you, sweet sister,” Klaus’ eyes flashed. “But that was then. Things have changed, and he shouldn’t have to spend who knows how long hiding her away from us.”_

_“He needs to know that she will not come to any harm by our hands,” Elijah cut in before Klaus could get worked up, “and he needs to hear it from us. I believe we all owe her an apology.”_

_“She stabbed me in the back,” Rebekah crossed her arms._

_“And you’ve attempted to kill her numerous times for it,” Elijah leveled her with a look. “From what I understand she didn’t see another choice; she might not have even had a choice.”_

_Rebekah’s eyes narrowed in a glare. It made sense; Elena had been perfectly sincere in her actions prior to the daggering._

_“You’re obviously trying to protect them both by concealing what you know, so forgiveness is not out of reach,” Elijah arched an eyebrow silently challenging her to contradict him. “Now you can conceal Kol’s whereabouts, maybe even long enough for him to find a witch to cloak them, but that would mean we likely never see him again. Are you really ready to say goodbye for the rest of eternity.”_

_Rebekah looked between her brothers. If it came down to it Klaus could be subdued by the three of them._

_“He has a house…” she inhaled and silently begged him to forgive her if things went badly, “… in New Orleans; he concealed it from you both. And if he’s looking for a witch to help them that’s where he’ll go.”_

* * *

 

“I never knew he owned this place,” Klaus stared up at the placard outside the blue house.

“That was kind of the point,” Rebekah drawled.

* * *

 

He propped himself up on his elbow and watched the slow breaths as they entered and exited her lungs. Sometime during the night she had rolled onto her stomach and bunched the pillow under her head.

He carefully brushed her hair aside exposing her smooth cheek to his gaze. She looked so peaceful in sleep with a happy smile resting on her lips. It was a look she rarely showed when she was awake.

He wondered if she ever allowed anyone to see her in such a vulnerable position. He had never thought he would see such trust directed at him in his life; any lover he had ever been with had never been capable of sleeping beside him so peacefully, but then perhaps that came with soulmates.

For that was what they were to each other. They had confirmed it hours before in that very bed. He could still smell her blood in his veins and feel her presence in the back of his mind. He had no intention of ever letting her go; she was his and he was hers for as long as their lives would endure, but they could figure out the particulars later.

He smiled to himself and leaned down to press his lips to her shoulder. He might have wrapped his arm securely around her waist and pulled her closer if he hadn’t heard the telltale sign of feet climbing the front porch.

He was going to ignore it until the knock sounded. With a sigh he left a last lingering kiss on her skin, pulled the sheet up further to cover her back, and stood from the bed.

He was downstairs and dressed at vampire speed and reaching for the doorknob.

He went on the defensive when the door opened.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Klaus scoffed, “she was right.”

“Oh shut up, Nik,” Rebekah sighed, “I’m always right; you just never listen.”

“If you two are quite through,” Elijah just held in his exasperated sigh. “Do relax, Kol,” he took in the stiff set of his brother’s shoulders, “we’ve come to talk. Where is Elena? Upstairs?”

“What makes you think she’s here?” Kol bit down his growl.

“Well,” Rebekah held up her fingers and counted, “you reek of her for one, and you’re blocking the door with your body.” She stepped forward and gasped when a barrier knocked her back. “And apparently you’ve signed the house over to her. What were you afraid of Kol: us catching up to you?”

“Clearly a valid fear,” Kol’s eyes flickered over his siblings, “and I didn’t put the house in her name; thank you very much for telling them about it by the way.”

“It seems she’s safe inside,” Rebekah crossed her arms. “What human’s name is on the deed?”

Kol’s eyes narrowed. It had been mildly amusing at first; he had thought she was having him on, or even pretending to be incapable of crossing the threshold to keep their brothers from trying, but he could see it in her eyes now. Rebekah was really trapped outside the house.

“It’s in my name, sister,” he tilted his head. His eyes widened when Elijah reached out and was stopped by the threshold.

“That’s funny,” Klaus sighed, “now you’ve had your laugh. Go and get whoever you need to get and invite us in.”

“I’m not joking, Nik, and even I was I wouldn’t let you in.”

“He’s not going to harm her Kol,” Elijah crossed arms.

“She’s off limits,” Rebekah agreed. “Do you think I would have told them about this place if I thought they’d hurt her?”

“You hate Elena?” Kol pointed out.

“I…” Rebekah bit her cheek and sighed. “I dislike her, but I like you and I’m not about to knowingly cause your soulmate harm; none of us are.”

“I wasn’t exactly worried about Elijah,” Kol’s heart skipped a beat. “How do you know about that?”

“Because we saw the spell,” Klaus sighed. “Elijah sent it to you last night.”

“I thought you would like to know it was perfectly safe to bring her back to Mystic Falls,” Elijah nodded. His eyes narrowed at Kol’s confused look. “You didn’t get the message.”

“I did,” Kol murmured. “I just got distracted before I could read it.”

“Yes,” Klaus rolled his eyes, “we can smell the distraction.” His voice dropped to a whisper when he heard footsteps on the stairs. “And we can see her too.”

“Kol…” Elena stifled her yawn and came down the steps slowly, “… what’s going on?” She had woken to an empty bed and the distant sound of voices coming from downstairs, so naturally she had rolled out of bed and gone to investigate what she thought was the radio.

“Well there’s a look for you,” Rebekah snickered.

Elena’s cheeks flushed red; she had pulled on her discarded pantie and Kol’s t-shirt before leaving the bedroom. It wasn’t exactly ideal clothing for seeing the rest of his family.

She thought her embarrassment just might have outweighed her fear in that moment, but then the fear took over and made her heart pound rapidly.

“Do relax, love,” Klaus looked her over slowly, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Yet,” Elena tugged the edges of Kol’s shirt down. She could clearly make out the growl he directed at his older brother.

“At all,” Rebekah rolled her eyes.

Elena’s eyes flickered over the Originals in confusion. From what she knew of the family Kol and Elijah were the only ones likely to stand on ceremony and wait for a formal invitation into a home.

“Why are all outside?”

“Because we cannot come in,” Elijah met her dark eyes. “It appears Miss Bennet’s spell has worked to Kol’s advantage as well as yours. Would you care to invite us in brother?”

 _Darling?_ He glanced over his shoulder to the brunette. _It would seem I have the power to keep them out; shall I test it?_

They had discovered during the night that their bond allowed them to communicate non-verbally; a part of them seemed to reside in the other.

He watched her eyes flicker over his siblings with distrust. He could hardly blame her for those feelings.

_Just Elijah._

Kol nodded before stepping back and inviting his eldest brother in. It was the same choice he would have made too even without her consent; Elijah alone had never harmed her.

“Seriously?” Rebekah crossed her arms. A part of her still believed that Kol was having them on and the house was in the name of a compelled human; that thought went soaring out the window when Elijah stepped over the threshold.

“I think I’m going to go change,” Elena turned around. She darted up the stairs when she heard Klaus wolf-whistle.

Klaus didn’t even get the chance to laugh before Kol’s fist collided with his jaw.

From upstairs Elena heard Rebekah snicker and tell Klaus it served him right.

* * *

 

11 years later

* * *

 

“What?” Elena crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

Elijah startled out of his reverie and tore his eyes from her face. She had caught him staring.

“You’ve been looking at me like that for a week,” Elena sighed, “why?”

“I have not been looking at you,” he turned his attention back to his book.

“You have,” Elena pressed. “You, Klaus, and Rebekah have been staring at me for the better part of a week. Kol has too, but it’s a very different stare.”

“We haven’t been…” he trailed off when he caught her glare.

Elijah sighed and closed his book. He supposed it was about time someone discuss the issue with her because it seemed clear that she and Kol were not talking about it; this was something they would have shared with the rest of the family, and that’s what Elena was now: family. It had taken half a decade for her and Rebekah to work past their differences, and it had been only the last year that she and Klaus had stopped sniping at each other, but eventually everyone had come to see her as a new member of the family.

“Why have you all been staring at me?” Elena repeated her question. “You’ve been whispering too,” she lifted an eyebrow, “always low enough that I can’t hear.”

“We’ve been talking about you…”

“I kind of gathered as much,” she rolled her eyes.

“You’re pushing thirty Elena,” Elijah stood and took a few steps towards her.

“You’ve all been talking about my age?” Her brows shot up. “Really?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “we’ve been talking about your age and how you don’t look it.”

“What are you getting at?” Elena glanced over her shoulder when Rebekah strode in.

“Are we finally talking about this?” She looked from her brother to the brunette.

“We are,” Elijah nodded.

“Oh goodie,” Rebekah grinned. “Someone had to bring this up before she made the decision to actually turn.”

“You realize I’m still here right?” Elena sighed. “What does my age and turning have to do with anything?”

“It’s the fact that you’re not aging love,” Klaus leaned in the doorframe, “and you haven’t since the binding spell.”

“I don’t think you need to turn,” Rebekah smirked, “because you’re already immortal… semi-immortal anyway since you can still be killed.”

Elena’s eyes grew round. She tried to stifle her laugh but she couldn’t do it; the amusement bubbled up and over.

“That’s not possible,” she shook her head.

“Anything’s possible,” Elijah nodded to the hall and the approach of little feet, “you’ve already proven that.”

Elena turned around in time to see her four year old daughter come running into the room with Kol on her heels. He caught the little girl with ease and tickled her sides until she was gasping for breath.

“Daddy…” Lucy squealed and squirmed. “Stop it; that tickles.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Kol sat her down on the floor and kissed her cheek, “that was the whole point.”

“I think I like Mommy better today,” Lucy smirked. “Mommy doesn’t tickle me.”

“That’s only because Mommy gets a little winded chasing after you,” Kol chuckled before standing and wrapping his arms around his wife’s swollen waist.

“Get close enough and I’ll tickle you too,” Elena teased.

Lucy giggled before running and hiding behind Rebekah’s legs.

“You’ll protect me, Auntie Bex?” She blinked up at her.

“Always and forever,” Rebekah swore.

Kol chuckled and rubbed soothing circles over the tiny foot that had decided to kick his palm. Their second miracle child liked to kick anyone who dared to touch Elena. They had discovered after six years together that it was possible for them to conceive during a celestial occurrence, such as a full moon, provided Elena was ovulating; they might have discovered it sooner with the way they were, but the two events hadn’t coincided until six years into their bonding. It had actually been a few weeks after the wedding; the second one they planned and invited their families too, although it had been awfully tempting to elope at the last minute.

“So what are we talking about?” He propped his chin on his wife’s head and smirked.

“The impossible,” Rebekah answered simply.

“And the fact that your wife hasn’t aged a day in eleven years,” Klaus watched Lucy gravitate towards a bookshelf. Someone had placed her stuffed bear just out of reach, so she reached up with one hand and sent it flying down. “Impossible,” Klaus turned back to the young couple, “but true.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really liked writing this first chapter. I'm thinking it will be at least 8-10 chapters, and might migrate from Mystic Falls to NOLA, but I haven't decided on that fact just yet.
> 
> All I'm going to say is that physical proximity is slightly difficult because the spell was only started, and it would not have worked with Caroline.
> 
> Can you guess why? What exactly happened in that clearing?
> 
> I'm going to have so much fun with this.


End file.
